Data provided by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that productivity of the average American worker has increased 400%. While today’s technological advances enhance productivity, they also extend work beyond the office, cutting into our personal time. Higher productivity goals continue to overwork and stress American workers more than ever before.

As a Salesforce Solution Architect at Silverline, I’ve personally experienced how detrimental burnout can be to productivity. Emails come in at all hours throughout the day and consultants like myself can fall victim to extending work hours beyond the typical workday. Not making time for yourself leads to stress, and too much stress can prevent you from reaching your full potential and undermine your bottom line as a consultant—providing value to your clients.

At Silverline we take wellness seriously. Our unlimited vacation, Wellness Room in the New York office, and dedication to holistic health during Wellness Week activities all serve to help prevent our team from burnout. Yet, day-to-day stressors can still appear for some of us when juggling challenging projects and personal life.

This is where meditation can help reclaim focus and boost productivity. Meditation has improved my career as a Salesforce Consultant and improved my life for the better. Before meditation, stressors would negatively impact my overall mood, productivity, and attentiveness. Meditation has helped me take control of those same stressors by helping me achieve clarity and peace of mind.

How to Start Meditation

There is no one correct way to meditate. There are many different options: mindfulness, guided, transcendental, chakra, and many others. Regardless of the type of meditation you choose, here are some tips that I follow and that can help you begin:

1. 1. Commit to a time where you can meditate consistently every day. At Silverline, we run a meditation program known as Silverline Sits where local and remote employees are invited to participate in short, guided meditation sessions.
   2. Find a comfortable place. Sitting on the ground with legs crossed is usually the picture most people have, but laying down is totally acceptable as well. Find what works for you!
   3. Breathe. Focus on your breath. As you inhale, notice how the body rises and falls as you exhale.
   4. Don’t try to control your thoughts. Thoughts will come and go into the mind. Meditation is not about preventing these thoughts from occurring. Instead, continue to breathe, reflect on the thoughts that come, and allow them to pass.
   5. Take some time to check in with yourself. As you meditate try to think about how you are feeling today. Are you experiencing any physical pain or discomfort? How is your mood?
   6. As you exit your meditation set some goals for the day. What are your top priorities? What would you like to focus on accomplishing today?

Practicing Mindfulness in a Time-Crunch

I admit, sometimes it is difficult to carve out ten minutes between meetings, design workshops, Salesforce demos, and everything else that comes with the consulting territory. This is where deep breathing exercises can help. Taking just a minute to be present and focus on the breath can drastically improve mood and cognitive performance. Start by sitting up straight and performing seven to nine breaths—deep inhale through the nose, soft release through the mouth. After the session is over, take a moment before rising to reflect on how you currently feel. Before returning to work set a positive intent for yourself for the remainder of the day.

Silverline cares about employee wellness during Wellness Week and everyday. Check out our careers page to learn more about the opportunities available to join our growing team!